Changing...for the Better?
by Opapea
Summary: Just before the Pilot - Ed buys the bowling alley...


A/N: Haha! My second fic! Ed fanfic isn't very popular around here, is it? I feel like a dork! Well anyway...on to the story...  
  
BTW, if you're looking for more Ed fanfic, go to (Virtual) Stuckeyville [www.stuckeyville.com].  
  
  
  
  
Changing...for the Better? (2/2)  
  
A week after that fateful (haha) night...  
  
"The bowling alley is all yours, Ed," said Big Rudy.  
  
Ed grabbed the larger man's hand and shook it. "Thanks so much Big Rudy."  
  
Big Rudy smiled. "So what are you going to with the place? This place isn't exactly 'happening', if you know what I mean...oh, I know! You're going to use it for some lawyering thing, right?"  
  
Ed shook his head. "I'm through with all the lawyer stuff. That's my old life. This is my new life! I'm going to change this place. It's going to be par-tay ci-tay!"  
  
"Good luck." Big Rudy said under his breath. "Come on, Ed. There's got to be another reason. Nobody just buys a rundown bowling alley for no reason. Ed, you used to live in New York and work for a major law firm. Why would you throw that all away? What's wrong with you?" Big Rudy's grin grew even bigger as he saw Ed's eyes light up.  
  
"Well, you see Big Rudy, I also need to change a heart..."  
  
  
  
Next day...  
  
"Hey Carol."  
  
"Ed? I that you?" Carol said into her phone.  
  
"Of course it is! Who else sounds this charming?"   
  
Carol rolled her eyes. "Ed..."  
  
"We need to talk," They both said at the same time.  
  
Carol wasn't quite sure how to start. "Ed, about the other night..."  
  
"Meet me at the bowling alley in an hour." Ed said.  
  
"The bowling alley? That place isn't usually open on Saturday afternoon."   
  
Ed grinned. "It is now. I'll see you in an hour." He hung up.  
  
Carol put down the phone and sighed. What did he mean by "it is now"? She was really confused.  
  
  
--------------------------  
  
Carol stood waiting outside the bowling alley. Ed was never late. Wait...how did she know that? She'd only really gotten to know the man the past few days. All she really knew was that he had a crush on her since the first time he stepped on her foot all those years ago. She knew he had come home...for two weeks? A month? Twelve years? Was he married, single, divorced, or widowed? What was his favorite color? Was he a Yankees or Mets fan? She should know these things before she kisses a guy! Oh no....Nick! What will he say? Will Ed blab? Ahhh! These were too many things for her to think about!  
She watched Ed's car pull into the deserted parking lot.  
  
"Hey Carol!" Ed yelled as he climbed out of his car. He ran up to her, looking as if he was going to grab her up into a hug at any second.  
  
She smiled. He could be really adorabe sometimes. After a few akward moments, Carol finally spoke.  
  
"So Ed...what are we here for?" Carol asked curiously.  
  
"Oh yeah! Here." Ed took a ring of keys out of his pocket. He chose a key with an odd shaped end, and he used it to open the front door of the bowling alley.  
  
Carol looked at him. "How did you get the keys to this place?" she asked as they walked in the front door.  
  
"I own it," he said, placing a bowling ball in her arms.  
  
Carol dropped her jaw, and nearly the ball, in shock. "What? You run this place from New York? You know...since you own the place, you could have at least bowled free..."  
  
"No. I bought it yesterday," Ed said with a huge smile plastered on his face.  
  
Her mind was reeling. "Wait...you didn't buy this place because of what happened the other night...did you?"  
  
Ed forced a laugh. "No, of course not," he said, faking another chuckle.  
  
Carol also forced a laugh. "No...of course not!" She repeated, nodding her head.   
  
The laughter stopped simultaneously. The looked at each other with uncertainty in his eyes and dread in hers. Carol formed a realization.  
  
"Oh my gosh....you didn't!"  
  
"I'm not sure"  
  
"So you're staying?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
"You mean to tell me you don't know? I've never met a man so unpredictable and odd in my entire life!"  
  
Ed smiled. "Why, thank you. Come on Carol. What happened the other night..."  
  
"Ed, I have a boyfriend," Carol said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I know...Molly told me."  
  
"Then you know we're very serious."  
  
"So? There was something there the other night. I felt it, and I know you did too."  
  
Carol sighed. "Ed, this isn't the time to get into this."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because. I-I have papers to grade."  
  
Ed rolled his eyes. "Sure. Whatever. You can't run away from this, or me, forever, you know."  
  
"Even if I do break up with Nick, which won't be any time soon by the way, I won't just jump into another relationship with someone else right then."  
  
"So..."  
  
"Until that day, whenever that may be, we'll just be friends. Deal?" She stuck out her hand.  
  
"I'm not shaking your hand."  
  
"Fine. Have it your way. Nothing will ever become of us anyway."  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked, with a knowing twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Ugh. Whatever. So..." she said, "is this a change for the better?"  
  
"Change...for the better? I'm not sure yet. But for the worse? Definitly not. I came home for two reasons, Carol. Number one was that I needed a break from my life. What can I say? It's not exactly heartwarming when, just hours after you got fired from your job, you come home to find you your wife in bed with a mailman."  
  
Carol eyes grew wide in suprise. "THE mailman? Ouch."  
  
"Nope, a mailman. He just happenened to be one. Still hurt though."  
  
"Oh. What was number two?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Ok...back up about five seconds. What!?"  
  
"And I know that I'm not able to have you. That's OK. Carol...wait, what's your middle name?"  
  
"Phyllis."  
  
"Carol Phyllis Vessey, you changed my life in the best way possible. You kissed me. Yes, I know that means nothing now, but it helped me make the best decision I've ever made: to come home."  
  
"Helped?"  
  
"Yeah, well I'm really fond of sucheezios, too"  
  
"Shut up." She hit him on the arm. "Well, I have to go -- I promised Molls I'd help her with something for school -- But I do think, Edward..."  
  
"Jeremy."  
  
"...Jeremy stevens, that there are going to be changes...for the better." She smiled at him, and walked out the door.  
  
"Me too, Carol. Me too," he said to himself, as he walked back to his car.  
  
  
The End  
And we all know what happens next...=vD 


End file.
